


just because

by platonics



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Barista Oma Kokichi, Crush at First Sight, First Meetings, Flirting, M/M, Oma Kokichi Being Oma Kokichi, Pre-Relationship, Tired Saihara Shuichi, kaede is mentioned for like 2 sentences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 10:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28687041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/platonics/pseuds/platonics
Summary: “Or maybe you just don’twantit to be a lie. Maybe you think I’m wildly attractive and you want me to be flirting with you.”Based on the flutter in his chest, Shuichi feared Ouma was right. Maybe he did want him to be flirting.After pulling an all-nighter working on a case, Shuichi has an unexpected encounter in a coffee shop.
Relationships: Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 74





	just because

**Author's Note:**

> amino request with the prompt "just because."
> 
> non-despair, no hope's peak au, so they've never met before.

The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and Saihara Shuichi was bone-deep exhausted. It was just that kind of day. Blinking tiredly at the bright light assaulting his eyes, courtesy of the morning sun reflecting off the snowbanks lining the streets, he let out a heavy exhale. As a detective, he was used to the occasional late night. It was just part of the job, and he was always happy to help someone in need. The part he was less happy about was having to do it all again in the morning, without so much as a few hours of sleep.

A quick glance at his phone revealed that it was nearly 9:00. If he tried to slink off somewhere for a ‘nap’ now, he’d probably end up sleeping the entire day away. Better to just try pushing through if he could and get to bed early, he decided. He didn’t want to disappoint anyone.

Maybe Kaede was right about a few things, Shuichi thought reluctantly, trudging to the sweet salvation of a nearby coffee shop. His best friend, currently traveling for her music career, was always telling himself he needed to take better care of himself and be more assertive. Maybe he really didn’t value himself highly enough. But his uncle was out of town, leaving him to hold down the fort. As the lead detective in the office for the time being, he couldn’t very well take a sick day to rest, could he? This was all part of the job.

Never mind the fact that his uncle would probably say the same thing as Kaede if he knew. He’d get through it. A little caffeine and he’d be good to go, for sure. Nodding decisively to himself, he picked up his pace along the sidewalk, the coffee shop’s familiar awning already in view up ahead.

He pushed the door open and stepped inside, a bell overhead chiming welcomingly. Immediately, the enticing scents of coffee and baked goods washed over him, and he could feel some of the tension in his shoulders loosening. There were a few other customers lined up at the counter and occupying tables, but considering what time it was, one could hardly call it crowded.

“Good morning,” one of the men behind the counter said when Shuichi approached, flashing him a friendly smile. “We’ll be right with you.” 

“Ah, take your time,” he assured, returning the smile. “I’m not in a hurry.” 

How this man — Amami, according to his nametag — was able to act so cool and collected was quite impressive. Shuichi couldn’t help watching as he prepared drink after complex drink, not so much as faltering despite doing everything by himself. The only other employee he could see, a shorter man with tousled violet hair and a distinctly mischievous look in his eyes, was just observing and scrolling through his phone, not lifting a finger to help.

Shuichi shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, biting his lip. He’d been telling the truth about not being in a hurry, and he didn’t quite feel right speaking up, but he was starting to feel bad for Amami. Why wasn’t this guy taking his order or doing something else to help? 

Just as he was starting to clear his throat, Amami spoke up again, not looking up from the coffee he was pouring.

“Ouma-kun, could you help me out here?” he asked pointedly, nodding to where Shuichi was standing. “You’ve been working here long enough to know how to take someone’s order.” Based on his behavior so far, Shuichi might have expected Ouma to protest, and sure enough, he did.

“Aww, but Amami-chan,” he whined. “I wanted to hear a cute guy asking for me. You always ruin my fun.” Pouting, Ouma made a show of sulking for a moment, but when it became clear that Amami didn’t care to indulge it, he sidled up to the register, pasting a bright smile onto his face instead.

“Hi! Can I take your order?”

Shuichi, still so addled with exhaustion that he was struggling to keep up, had no idea what to say. Even the simplest, most obvious response — saying what he wanted — seemed to vanish from his mind. Was this stranger trying to indirectly flirt with him? And why? He’d definitely called him cute. He didn’t mishear that, right?

Face flushed, he managed to force out his coffee order and his name for the cup, fumbling in his pocket for some cash. 

“Flustered, are we?” Ouma teased, his smile turning into something downright mischievous when Shuichi glanced up at him. “How cute.”

“That again? I really don’t think I’m that cute. And besides, I don’t even know you.”

“You’ve never been attracted to someone you don’t know? Never heard of flirting? Maybe you’re not as smart as you look then, Saihara-chan. Of course, _I_ wasn’t flirting with you. That was a lie.”

“It didn’t sound like a lie,” he said warily, shaking his head before going back to getting out his money to pay. There was no one in line behind him, but he was still acutely aware of how long this transaction was taking. Social anxiety in action, he supposed.

“Or maybe you just don’t _want_ it to be a lie. Maybe you think I’m wildly attractive and you want me to be flirting with you.”

Finally, he was able to hand over the correct amount, not responding to what sounded an awful lot like a provocation. Ouma took the money, but when he did, their fingers brushed for too long to be unintentional. It seemed the lack of reply wasn’t enough to make him lose interest.

Based on the flutter in his chest, Shuichi feared Ouma was right. Maybe he did want him to be flirting.

“All set, Saihara-chan. You can wait there for Amami-chan to make your coffee,” he said, nodding down toward the other end of the counter. “Or you can stay right here with me if you want to.” That was accompanied by an exaggerated flutter of his lashes, too theatrical to be entirely genuine. Despite himself, Shuichi stayed where he was.

“Why are you so interested in me?” he asked.

Kokichi shrugged, expression unreadable.

“Just because. If you wanna know more, you might have to stick around and find out.”

“I can’t do that. I have to go to work.” The sense of disappointment in his own voice made him uncomfortable. His job was infinitely more important than some trickster he’d only just met, but...his detective instincts made him reluctant to go without answers. That was the only explanation he could think of for the next words that slipped out of his mouth. “But maybe I’ll come back later.”

“Ooh, finally gaining some nerve. Well then, maybe I’ll be here. Or maybe I won’t. Gotta keep you on your toes.”

“I suppose I’ll find out.” Shuichi shook his head fondly, starting to turn away. What had he gotten himself into?

**Author's Note:**

> not all that happy with how this one turned out, but the batch of requests this is from is from _ages_ ago, so i wanted to whip up something quick for it. hope you enjoyed anyway!


End file.
